Expression device for automatic pianos



Nov. 18, 1930. J. H. DICKINSON EXPRESSION DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC PIANOS Filed May 17,1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 HIHI EXPRESSION DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC PIANOS Filed May 1 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ft-[yJ I m f 0 mmn H mm Mo [10 0 an nun B on I100 fa an M n I W/C B B I] U g- -/9 3 M I INVENTOR I WWATTORNEY Patented Nov. 18, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE JOSEPH H. DICKINSON, F LARCHMONT, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE AEOLIAN COM- PANY, A CORPORATION 033 CONNECTICUT EXPRESSION DEVICE FOR AUTQMATIC PIANOS Application filed May 17, 1927. Serial No. 192,008.

My present invention relates to improvements in reproducing pianos which play music-rolls with automatically reproduced dynamics expression of the hand playing of skilled pianists. This improvement is a de vice operable at will by the user to vary the degree of loudness of the playing to suit the conditions in which the instrument is placed, namely, whether it be in a large or small room or whether the music is to be used for dancing or merely for the pleasure of listening to it. Also, individuals di fer in acuteness of hearing, some preferring that the rendition be relatively soft, others preferring it louder. The device is also useful and operable with delicate adjustment thereof by the user while the instrument is playing, to prevent the in strument' from ciphering or failing to play all of the notes in pianissimo passages, which may happen in humid weather due to the swelling and consequent sticking of the parts of the piano hammer actions and related movable parts of the instrument which do not then work so freely as in dry weather.

It is easy enough to vary the degree of loudness of the playing by varying the wind tension, but this affects unfavorably the opera-v tion of the automatic expression device and makes it alter the expression effects unfavorably. My present invention accomplishes the foregoing desirable results without limiting the expression device which at all times under the unhampered control and operation of the dynamics expression music-roll perforations.

The annexed drawings show a preferred form of my invention in combination with one form of reproducing piano dynamics expression action. the parts being shown in diagrammatic form for purposes of simplicity.

in these drawings. Fig. 1 is said diagrammatic view of the said combination of devices embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a hori zontal section on the line 22 in Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows; and Fig. 3 is a front elevation of fragment of the tracker bar and 1nusicsheet.

Describing now the illustrated devices embodying my invention, 1 is a box having a top 1 and sides 1 The bottom of the box comprises a board 1 hinged to the box at 1 connected by flexible air-sight material secured to the edges of the board 1 and the sides 1 of the box, said board and flexible material thereby enclosing air-tight the bottom of the box and forming a pneumatic or bellows.

2 and 3 are cylindrical metal tubes extending through the sides of the box, 2 being connected with an air exhaust-er and 3 with the player action of an automatic piano, neither of which is shown. The player action will, of course, consist of the usual valve and strikerpneumatic action for selectively operating the piano hammer action from the note playing ducts l ofthe tracker bar 4 when exposed by the note perforations 5 of a music-sheet 5.

6 is a knife valve working across a port consisting of the mouth of the tube 2 inside the box 1. 7 is a rock shaft journalled in the sides of the box 1 extending horizontally across its interior. 8 is an arm secured to this rock shaft projecting at right angles therefrom having a cylindrical pin 8 projecting into a corresponding hole in the heel of the valve 6, whereby said valve is pivotally supported by its heel from said rock shaft arm 8. 9 is a link pivotally connected by its ends to the toe of said valve and the movable board 1 of the regulator. 38 is the usual adjustable coiled tension spring connecting the movable board 1 with the stationary part 39.

10 is an arm fixed on the rock shaft 7 similar to and paralleling the arm 8 except that the arm 10 is on the free end of said shaft outside of the box 1. 11 is a fixed support and 12 is a coiled. tension spring connecting said support with the end of this arm 10. 13 is a. rod or link connecting said end of the arm 10 with one end-board 14- f an at cordion bellows 15 whose other end-board 1-6 is connected by a link 17 with a lever 18 pivoted at 18 to any suitable stationary sup port to pivot in a direction towards and away from the regulator previously described. This lever 18 has a tapered free end 18 between which and the stationary half-round part 19 is interposed the tapered or wedge-shaped end 20 of another part 20 pivotally connected at 20 to one arm of a bell-crank lever 21, the latter being pivoted 1uentl5; compartn'lentl5"; (C) compartments 15 and 15"; (D) compartments 15; (E) Compartments 15 and 15, and so on, as will be well understood, up to fortissimo, if desired. The aforesaid letters A, B, C, D, etc.,'have been correspondingly applied to Fig. 3 to indicate the particular dynamics perforation or combination of perforations that will produce the given effects.

At the aforesaid pianissimo setting with fully expanded accordion bellows, one or many notes can be played, but because the exhaust is then weakest, the full number of striker pneumatics may fail to collapse to sound their notes if, due to humidity or any other reason, the piano hammer actions or other working parts do not work as freely and as easily as they do when the instrument and its expression device were originally adjusted at the factory. If this happens in an instrument equipped with my present invention, the user can at once remedy the defect by merely adjusting the pointer (Fig. l) slightly to the right. He should do t while the instrument is playing the pianissimo passage in which the notes ciphered or did not play. ale simply moves the pointer to the right and leaves it at the point of adjustment at which all of the notes play pianissimo without ciphering. Ordinarily, a slight adjustment of the pointer will be sufficient to cause the wedge 20 to adjust the lever 18, accordion bellows and heel of the valve 6 bodily to uncover more of the port 2 to a slightly greater extent to sinliciently increase the wind tension in the player action to play all of the notes of the pianissimo passages without ciphering.

On the other hand. even if the instrument does not cipher but plays perfectly at pianis simo. the device is usable with advantage to adapt the instrument at will to the room and the conditions under which it is used. Thus, for a large room or to hear the instrument from a distance, or to use it for dancing, etc., the pointer 23 will be adjusted to that place on the scale which will make the softest passages in the music-rolls audible under the given conditions or for the given mrpose.

The important advantage inheres in my device that the aforesaid adjustments do not involve limiting in any way the collapse and expansion of the accordion or cxprcssitm bellows. either in whole or in part. On the contrar n device at all times under the unhampeia. mtrol and operation of the dynamics expression nuisic roll perforations, whatever these may be. This is an important advantage since the ordinary devices for controlling the degree of loudness of playing of a reprmhicing piano usually limit or cramp the operation of the expression bellows or pneumatic.

hat I claim is:

1. In a player piano, the combination of a regulator of the knife valve type, said valve being adjustable across its port both by the regulator and independently thereof; a music-sheetcontrolled accordion bellows opposed by a spring operatively connected to said valve to adjust it across its port independently or" the regulator; a movable support for said accordion bellows, said support being adjustable in the direction of adjusting the regulator valve across its port; and a hand control convenient to the userof the instrument operatively connected to said support for adjusting said accordion bellows, its support and connected regulator valve while the accordion bellows is in operation and without limiting the collapse and expansion of the accordion bellows either in whole or in part.

2. In a player piano, the combination of a regulator of the knife valve type, said valve being adjustable across its port both by the regulator and independently thereof; a music-sheet controlled accordion bellows opposed by a spring operatively connected to said valve to adjust it across its port inclependently of the regulator; a movable support for said accordion bellows, said support being adjustable in the direction of adjusting the regulator valve across its port; and means convenient to the user of the instrument and controllable at will operatively connected to adjust said valve across its port while the accordion bellows is in operation and without limiting the collapse and expansion of said bellows either in whole or in part.

3. In a player piano, the combination of a regulator of the sliding valve type, said valve being adjustable across its port both by the regulator and independently thereof; a music-sheet controlled pneumatic operatively connected to said valve to adjust it across its port independently of the operation of said valve by the regulator; and a hand-controlled device operable to adjust the position of said pneumatic bodily as an entirety and thereby adjust the connected regulator valve while sai-d pneumatic is in operation.

4. In a player piano, the combination of a regulator and its valve, said valve being adjustable both by the regulator and independently thereof; music-sheet controlled means operatively connected with said regulator valve to adjust it independently of the operation of said valve by the regulator; and :1 hand controlled device operable to adjust the position of said music-sheet controlled means bodily as an entirety and thereby adjust the connected regulator valve while said means is in operation.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 16th day of May A. D. 1927.

JOSEPH H. DICKINSON. 

